This Is Love
by durillium
Summary: 2x20 The Last Day. "But he did this to me, Stefan, which means... he doesn't really know what love is. And to be honest, I don't know if I do." R&R! SE


**Ugh, really, I only wrote this because it was late, I had nothing to do and I wanted to write something. So this is the result. (: I'm not sure it's that good. Or even worth reading, but my best friend Allanah has convinced me to upload it, so here you go Lani. Enjoy it. Even though it sucks and I know I can do way better.**

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><p>Title: This Is Love<br>Author: belle peu d'amour  
>Pairings: StefanElena  
>Show: The Vampire Diaries<br>Rating: K  
>Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, Stefan and Elena would spend more time in bed and Damon would get over himself and get with Bonnie. ;)<br>Summary: Elena says she maybe not sure on what love is, that she's too young to know. But looking him in the eyes when having to be taken away, she realizes that what they really have is indeed, love and nothing beyond that. SE  
>Additional Notes: Based off of the events in 2x20 The Last Day. Basically, thoughts during the scenes. Or not really. Dialogue is all from the show.<p>

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><p>"<em>Hey," Stefan's voice says. "You can say it."<em>

_Elena sighs, subtly, her hand shading her eyes from the slightly blinding yet warm sunlight as she looks out at the beautiful view. "Say what?" she questions, not turning to look at him._

_Stefan's still watching her, his eyes solemn, wanting her to open up to him. "What you've been wanting to say but..." he trails a little before continuing, "afraid of how it'll make me feel."_

_She can hear it in his voice. The worry, the affliction. Her hand has lowered now but she still stares out at the view, reality finally settling upon her. "There's nothing that I can say, Stefan. It's not gonna change anything."_

_Stefan shifts slightly, looking away for a second before tilting his head back towards her. "It might make you feel better."_

_The two fall into a small bout of silence, Elena still gazing out at the mountains and trees and the setting sun while Stefan watches her. He takes in a deep breath before speaking again, his voice calm. "Look, I know this isn't the first time you've thought about it. Drinking vampire blood to survive. I mean, I know I've thought about it a hundred times."_

_This being said, Elena's head turns slightly, a small frown on her face. "Before all this with Klaus, did you think about it then?"_

"_Of course, I did," Stefan replies immediately, shrugging a shoulder. He glances down at her, shaking his head a little before moving a little. "Listen, if it were my choice," he says seriously, Elena watching him, "I'd want to be with you forever."_

_Elena's head tilts to the side a bit, her eyes and heart softening at his words. "Why have you never brought it up?" she quietly asks._

"_Because I knew if it was an option, you would've," Stefan answers. "It'd be selfish of me to ask you."_

_Elena shakes her head, holding the urge to roll her eyes a little. "It didn't stop Damon," she tells him, her voice a little harsh mentioning his brother._

"_He shouldn't have done what he did," Stefan agrees, shaking his head as he remembers that particular morning. His well-meaning but intuitive brother, his girlfriend's muffled protests as the vampiric blood was forced into her, him throwing his brother away from her. Stefan stares out at the sun, keeping silent for a few moments, trying to push himself to admit to her why his brother had done what he'd done that morning. The truth. "He did it because he loves you," he forces out, looking back at her._

_Elena's eyes move back to his face, realization that he had just admitted what they all knew out loud dawning on her. "But he did this to me, Stefan, which means..." she tries to gather the words in her head, stringing them together, "he doesn't really know what love is."_

_Stefan nods, looking down to the grass then back up at her. He meets her brown eyes, seeing all the hurt pouring into them, hurt that she'd been attempting to hide for so long, the things she'd never admitted out loud to him shining through. He waits, waits for her to go on, which she does._

"_**And to be honest**__," she continues, feeling the stinging sensation in her eyes as she looks away. "__**I don't know if I do. I'm seventeen years old. How am I supposed to know any of this yet?**__"_

_Elena looks back at him, noticing him nod again. He stares at her as she stares back before she takes his hands in between both of hers. "I know that I love you, Stefan. I know that," she assures him. She pauses for a second. "But my future? Our lives together? Those were things I was supposed to deal with as they came along."_

_Her voice wavers, oncoming tears welling and threatening to fall at any moment. She needed to get what she needed to say out, he needed to hear it. "I was supposed to grow up, decide if I want to have kids and... start a family. Grow old," she chokes on the words as the first tear falls slowly. "I was supposed to have a lifetime of those choices and... now? It's all gone."_

_Stefan nods vigorously, his own pain, her pain, showing in his own eyes and on his face. "Say it," he whispers to her, encouraging her. "Please."_

_Elena doesn't even attempt to stop them as the tears now rush out and down her cheeks. She breaks in front of him, her sobs mixing with the next words that flow so easily, yet so painfully. "I don't want to be a vampire, Stefan," she admits to him, looking him straight in the eyes honestly. She shakes her head, another sob escaping her. She takes in a breath. "I never wanted to be one."_

"_I know," Stefan whispers, immediately catching her as she crumbles into him, her arms clinging to him desperately as she buries her face into his shoulder. His arms encircle her tightly, holding her, comforting her as her heaving sobs wrack her body._

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><p>Like the perfect gentlemen he is, Elena watches as Stefan quickly moves around the car to her side, opening the door for her and holding out a hand for her. She takes it, stepping out of the car as he closes the door. She gazes up at him, hating the fact that all this calmness, all of it, would soon be gone before they knew it.<p>

"Thanks for today," she tells him, a hint of a smile curling at her lips as she stares up at him lovingly. But that is all spoiled as Stefan turns his head sharply, sensing change around them. He notices the change and quickly moves in front of Elena, gently pushing her behind him. It's then, Elena notices Klaus standing before them from over Stefan's shoulder.

Klaus' smile is somewhat taunting, his hands clasped in front of him. "You had me all nervous," he says, his voice quiet. "I thought maybe you'd done something stupid."

Stefan's eyes are wide, glaring, his body standing before Elena, keeping her behind him. Klaus' eyes shift from Stefan over to Elena. "You ready, my dear?"

Elena slowly begins to nod, taking in deep breaths. "I'm ready," she replies, making a move to pass by Stefan but his hand grabbing a hold of her arm stops her from doing so. She looks up at him, her mouth slightly agape, her eyes wide and a bit anxious.

"No," Stefan puts firmly, keeping his voice from trembling. His glare never drops from the ancient vampire. Elena looks back hesitantly at Klaus.

Klaus' small smirk drops as he subtly shakes his head. "I wouldn't," he threatened. "No reason for you to die, too."

"No! Stefan, hey," Elena immediately moved to stand in front of Stefan desperately looking up at him, her hands clutching at his arms as she began to reassure him that everything would be alright. "It's fine, it's fine. I'll go," she says firmly though her voice small. She notices how he doesn't even glance at her, pain apparent on his features, his eyes set upon the vampire behind her, awaiting for her to accompany him. "No one needs to get hurt."

Klaus smirks upon hearing Elena try to gently soothe Stefan, remaining back, watching them.

Stefan, feeling all the emotions from the day overwhelming him, gulps down the harsh lump in the back of his throat, not daring to even flinch down in Elena's direction. He doesn't even blink.

"There's no reason for _you_ to get hurt," Elena states, her voice now fading a little. She slowly reaches up, her hands cupping around his jaw as she pulls his face towards her, rising up a little on her own toes. She kisses his lips slowly, thoroughly, hoping it would bring his attention, to her. She felt him respond, only just a bit. She lets her lips linger for a moment against his before slowly pulling away a little, her thumbs slightly brushing against his skin. "I love you," she whispers, a smile, only a small smile, settling on her lips as she watches him. His own eyes were watching her now, trying to keep his emotions in check. He doesn't say anything for a while. Just gazes back at her.

Right in that moment, admiring him, searching his tearful eyes, Elena thought back to the moment that they had stood above that waterfall, to the moment she had told him that she possibly didn't know what love was. She had been wrong. _This_ was it. _This_ was love. _This _was all she had ever wanted. Only now had she come to realize that. In that moment, she'd figured out; love was when you accepted the person, no matter what. Love was when you would do anything in the world to protect them. Love was when you'd make sure that they were happy and safe. Love was when you'd sacrifice whatever you have for them, even if it hurts. Love was when you protected not only them, but the ones they loved and cherished. Stefan was all that. What they had was real, true _love_. Nothing else. She knew that now. Maybe she'd known it all along.

"_I love you_," Elena hears Stefan whisper back, his hand reaching up to the one resting against his neck, grabbing it tightly and she smiles once more, even though her heart was tearing into tiny little bits and pieces at the thought of leaving him. He leans down, capturing her lips in a soft kiss again, this one lasting a few moments only. She leans her head against his for a second, taking in a deep breath before tearfully looking back at him. Stefan shoots another hateful glare at Klaus.

"Close your eyes," she says softly to him, knowing this was the only way he'd be able to let her go; the only way _she'd_ be able to let go of him. Tightening her hold around his hand, she notices his eyes flicker back down at her, the reality of this becoming too much for him. He forcefully swallows again and remains unresponsive.

"_Close your eyes,"_ Elena whispers once more, nodding slightly at him, hating doing this; hating all of it. Stefan does as she tells him, slowly allowing his eyes to close, knowing exactly what she was about to do.

Elena steps back away from him, taking in a deep, shaky breath, her hand slowly, reluctantly, painfully slipping out of Stefan's grasp. He takes a moment, knowing she'd left, before he opened up his eyes. She was gone; and so was Klaus.

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><p><strong>I'd really like some opinions on my <em>writing<em>. I don't particularly think I'm that good but whatever. I would love to know what you guys think. And how you felt about this episode and these two scenes. (: Thank you.**


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